RPI unrest at top reaches Pune, ‘rebel’ candidates to stay put

Shiv Sena candidate Parshuram Wadekar said the party ignored his claim for ticket, which compelled him to join the Sena.

Sitting RPI corporator Siddharth Dhende has filed his nomination from Wadgaonsheri constituency.

With the party leadership taking a last-minute stand to not break the alliance with BJP, the rift in the Republican Party of India (Athawale) at the senior level is all set to reach the local level. The RPI leaders in Pune who had filed nominations for the Assembly election are refusing to withdraw from the fray.

The delay in finalising the alliance had led to RPI(A) candidates filing their nomination papers. Sitting RPI corporator Siddharth Dhende had filed his candidature from Wadgaonsheri Assembly segment while Navnath Kamble had filed his nomination from Pune Cantonment.

The party’s decision to tie up with the BJP has not gone well with the local leaders. “Party president Ramdas Athawale might have forged an alliance with the BJP but we are not ready to give up the seats to it. I have filed nomination as an RPI(A) candidate with the party giving me the mandatory AB form and there is no looking back now,” said Dhende.

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“The party leadership has not got back to us on the future strategy for the Assembly elections,” he said, adding, “I have clarified to the party president that giving away the seat to BJP would mean doing injustice to party workers in the city. I am going to contest the elections even if asked to withdraw from the fray.”

In Pune Cantonment, a reserved (Scheduled Caste) seat, the party is facing more trouble with official RPI(A) candidate Navnath Kamble being challenged by senior party leader Parshuram Wadekar, who has filed his nomination as a Shiv Sena candidate. The BJP has fielded Dilip Kamble from the seat.

Though the two parties are officially allies, neither the RPI(A) nor the BJP candidate is ready to withdraw his nomination. The RPI(A) candidate said there was no reason for him to withdraw from the fray as there was no direction from party leaders. “I have been told that the RPI(A) is going to contest the seat as per the seat-sharing arrangement with the BJP. Thus, I would not withdraw,” he said.

On the other hand, the BJP too claims to be getting the Pune Cantonment seat as per the seat-sharing arrangement. “The situation in the Assembly seat is in favour of the BJP and the party would not like to give it to any of its alliance partners,” said a leader.

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Shiv Sena candidate Parshuram Wadekar said the party ignored his claim for ticket, which compelled him to join the Sena. “RPI(A) workers are fed up of the frequent shifting of loyalties. The party leaders have been changing their alliance partners leaving the cadres disappointed. They would rather stand by the leader who would continue to take up their issues at lower level,” he added.

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